2 Corinthians 3
1 (Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or commendation from you?
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need (as some do) epistles of commendation to you, or from you?
2 You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all men;
You are our epistle, written in our hearts, which is known and read by all men:
3 you are manifestly a letter of Christ, mediated by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on ‘tablets’ that are hearts of flesh.)
Being manifested, that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart.
4 Now we have such confidence before God because of the Christ;
And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God.
5 not that we are competent of ourselves to reckon anything as being from ourselves, but our competence is from God—
Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God.
6 indeed, He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant; not of letter but of Spirit, because the letter kills, while the Spirit gives life.
Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth.
7 Now if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory—so that the children of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (that was fading)—
Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void:
8 how can the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather in glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.
10 Because what had glory could actually be said to be without glory, compared to the surpassing glory—
For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 if what is being set aside had glory, that which is continuing is much more glorious.
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we use great boldness of speech—
Having therefore such hope, we use much confidence:
13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his own face, so that the children of Israel would not observe the end of what was fading.
And not as Moses put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the face of that which is made void.
14 But, it was their minds that were closed, because to this day that very veil remains in place when the Old Testament is read, since only in Christ is it taken away.
But their senses were made dull. For, until this present day, the selfsame veil, in the reading of the old testament, remaineth not taken away (because in Christ it is made void).
15 Yes, even to this day, when Moses is read a veil lies on their heart.
But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16 However, whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is removed.
But when they shall be converted to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
17 Now the Spirit is the Lord, and where the Lord's Spirit is there is freedom.
Now the Lord is a Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 So we all, contemplating as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, precisely from Lord Spirit.
But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
